Serial petitioner Srisuwan in police custody on an extortion charge

[webfact]

 

Well-known serial petitioner Srisuwan Janya has been taken into police custody on an extortion charge, after he and two associates allegedly demanded 1.5 million baht from the director-general of the Rice Department in exchange for dropping his plan to lodge a complaint of alleged corruption against the official.

 

The police action followed the filing of a complaint by Natthakit Khongthip, director-general of the Rice Department, claiming that Srisuwan, Yotwarit Chuklom and a former United Thai Nation party candidate called “Pimnattha” had tried to extort three million baht from him.

 

The trio threatened to expose alleged corruption in the Rice Department’s project to cut rice production costs unless Natthakit paid them three million baht. The amount was, however, negotiated down to 1.5 million baht.

Police then set up a sting operation, by letting a courier take the first 500,000 baht payment to Srisuwan’s house, a process which was kept under close surveillance.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-01-27

 

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[webfact]

Political shock. Activist Srisuwan arrested in police swoop, plainclothes officers at Government House
by Joseph O' Connor

 

Scenes from Friday as police moved to arrest Mr Srisuwan Janya of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution at his home in Pathum Thani (inset). Later, Mr Yoswaris Chuklom, alias Jeng Dokjik, an associate of the United Thai Nation (Ruam Thai Sang Chart) Party was detained. The latter’s arrest was brokered by Deputy Prime Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga with senior police officers. It took place at Government House at 4.20 pm.

Arrests linked to an extortion plot against a senior civil servant plunges Thai politics into turmoil, exposing connections to UTN candidates. The scandal promises aftershocks as the story unfolds.

Friday saw an earthquake in Thai politics when a scandal blew the ground under anti-corruption campaigner and constitutional activist Mr Srisuwan Janya. Following a dramatic police sting operation at the activist’s home where police claim he sought to dispose of hush money, there was further thrilling drama over at Government House where another suspect was understood to be attempting to meet Deputy Prime Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga. Indeed, it was subsequently revealed that the deputy PM arranged for police to detain one of those wanted for the extortion of a civil servant, on the grounds of the seat of government.

 

Thailand’s political world was thrown into chaos and feverish speculation on Friday when police arrested the Chairman of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution Mr Srisuwan Janya at his home in Pathum Thani.

 

Full story: Thai Examiner.com 2024-01-27

 

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Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

[flyingtlger]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

Srisuwan Janya has been taken into police custody on an extortion charge, after he and two associates allegedly demanded 1.5 million baht from the director-general of the Rice Department in exchange for dropping his plan to lodge a complaint of alleged corruption against the official.

 

 

[webfact]

Pro-Prayut Party Distances Itself From Arrest Of Key Member In Bribe-Taking Sting
by TNR Staff

 

Deputy Premier-cum-Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, right, and  Mr. Yoswarit Chuklom, or Jeng Dokjik, left.

 

RUAM Thai Sang Chart Party, largely viewed as de facto led by former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, quickly distanced itself from the arrest of a key member in a sting operation that netted high-profile prolific petitioner Mr. Srisuwan Jaraya on bribe-taking charges, TV Channel 7 and Naewna newspaper said this evening (Jan. 26).

 

Police arrested Mr. Yoswarit Chuklom, or Jeng Dokjik, who heads the political movement Ruam Chai Rak Chart (United in Love of the Country), and another party member Ms. Phimnattha Chiraphutthiphak on charges of colluding with Srisuwan after was caught red-handed taking bribes from  Rice Department Director-General Mr. Natthakit Khongthip.

 

However Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, who is also the leader of this party, quickly came out to say that while Yoswarit is a member of his party the police investigation results have to be first studied to determine whether he behaved inappropriately thus damaging the party’s reputation or was it a mistake.

 

He added that the party had the right to expel him or he could resign but this case is not linked to his camp with the suspect also no longer a member of civil servants working group number 11.

 

Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-01-27

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[ChrisY1]

When the BS settles, they're all bad people. 

[edwinchester]

Oh dear, how sad, nevermind.

[Andycoops]

Oh good, hopefully this will shut the big mouth and trouble maker up for a while, perhaps for good.

[JoePai]

Superb news - made my day  

[2baht]

Is it Saturday again???

[Tropicalevo]

I wondered how he made all that money so that he could by expensive clothes.

I had assumed that he was funded by Prayut's party, but now the answer is obvious.

"Pay me or I sue you".

[BenStark]

About time this corrupt individual got locked up

[WHansen]

Fantastic news. Suffer forever

[mikebell]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

the police investigation results have to be first studied to determine whether he behaved inappropriately thus damaging the party’s reputation or was it a mistake.

Going out on a limb here, I think it was all a misunderstanding.

[klauskunkel]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

RUAM Thai Sang Chart Party, largely viewed as de facto led by former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, quickly distanced itself from the arrest of a key member in a sting operation

In totally unrelated news, former PM Prayuth returned a lost wallet to a foreign visitor.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

However Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, who is also the leader of this party, quickly came out to say that while Yoswarit is a member of his party the police investigation results have to be first studied to determine whether he behaved inappropriately thus damaging the party’s reputation or was it a mistake.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Andycoops said:

Oh good, hopefully this will shut the big mouth and trouble maker up for a while, perhaps for good.

What goes around comes around... springs to mind.

[UbonEagle]

Hallelujah 

this parasite has probably been at this game the whole time

[kingstonkid]

21 hours ago, UbonEagle said:

Hallelujah 

this parasite has probably been at this game the whole time

I have no doubt that he has been playing the game for a long time.  It will be interesting to see who he fingers as aiding him.  Will he kill a party?  

 

This is going to hurt the military Elite parties as he was their attack dog.  

 

Now they are going to have t find another smuck to become a serial accuser of the MFP

[john donson]

so the old government, can they not be audited by the new one to see how much more wealthy they became with their government salary ?

[mark131v]

Ain't karma a bitch!!!